Jig.



R. H. RICHARDS.

. JIG.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13 1908' Patented 0Gt.20,1908. z SHEETS-SHBBT z.

. E :g1/wanton:

ROBERT HALLOWELL RICHARDS, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

JIG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1968.

Application filed Junel, 1908. Serial No. 438,398.

To all rwhom 'it may concern.'

lie it known that I, ROBERT HALLowELL Bici-mans, a citizen of athe United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jigs, ot' which thefollowing isa specification.

This invention pertains to apparatus for use in concentrating mills or other establishinents, to separate, grade or classify particles of mixed or orP approximately uniform sizes, and different specific gravities, and though primarily intended for treating ininerals, may be used for other substances. The apparatus is designed to carry outsuch separation or classification by what l'term hindered settling ",which term it is deemed proper to explain orderine, in order that the nature and Scope ofthe inventionmay be the better understood. The machine belongs to the general class or type ofy machines known as jigs v or jiggers but diiiers from the usual types or forms 'thereof in liinpoitant particulars hereinafterexplained.

There are two 'conditions under which .sands or mineral grains Ofmixed sizes and difieren-t vspecitic gravities can-and will settle in water, viz.:

First: where' the grains are entirely free from one another, each assuming its natu 'al rate and speed'of settling, due to its size, we ;l.t, and shape. lVhen, for example, mixed grains ot quartz and galenal are allowed to ,settle in water under these condi tions, it is I"iound that the grains of the lighter quartz, which settle at the same rate with the heavier galena, have a diameter of i (approiiimately) four times that of the latter. settling conditions. I

'rleeomlz it. on the other hand', water be admitted through a small apertl'ir'efor series ot' apertures, to the bottom` of a. vessel in which a mass oi quartz andl galeria is restii fj, the rise Vof the current of water through the mass causes the quartz and galena grains to arrange themselvesl according to their ability to settle under suoli conditions, and it is found that the grain of quartz that settles in juxtaposition with the grain of galena has (approximately.).six times the diameter ot the latten.' This method of classification is called classiication under hindered settling' conditionI I l The apparatus resembles jigs4 now in gen- This is called classifying under freel eral use in that the mass of material is lifted V or thrown up by water entering beneath-it,"l

and with lsudden impulses, but differs from thecommon form of jigs in that there ,is no refiux, or downward tiow of the water, and hence no tendency to conipactthe mass .ot matter under treatment, and retard the flow of water, or lessen the speed of treatment. In falling back through the water the particels arrange themselves in strata in sub stantialv accordance with the ratio above stated as to relative sizes and specic gravities.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the most. approved 'form of the apparatus.v

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the structure, partly in section.; Fig."

2, a longitudinal vertical section on the. line 2 2 O1a Fig. l; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section-On the line 3 3 of Figs. 11 andfZ, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig".

. i, a view illustrating the form of gate used tocontrol the outlets for the concentrates; Fig. 5, a view vshowing the form of the tailings outlet gate. Fig. 6 a view showing a modified form of the lower section of the apparatus. l

The.. apparatus is preferably formed of cast-iron in two main parts A and B, to the upper one, A, of which is bolted a feed hopper section C, This hopper section can, it

desired, be cast with the section' A, but .it is cheaper and more convenient to castit separately, and afterward` bolt or otherwise tasten it to the section A. As all the mate. rial handled by the machine is fed througli the hopper, it is desirable that it be pro-` vided with a renewable bottom plate or lining D, as shown in Fig. Q. p The sect-ion A is formed with a vloingi-, tudinal partition a, reaching from itstop to a. `point near its bottom line, and dividing the shell or body A into two vlongitudimil parts l) 'and c. These sections 0.1;. are iu turn subdivide-d by transverse partitions which rise from the lower line ot' section A to the top of section I), and to slightly ditferent. heights within the chambers Orscc tions c, as shown in Figs. 3 and Botheoue 'nea-rest the hopper C rising to approximatel v the level of the delivery end Ot' saidhoppcr bottom, andV the ot-hers being successively slightly lower.

Chamberor vcompartarent c is'provided with `tailings discharge spout, ,the-sill edges'l folded over, as seen in Fig. 1, to form guideways for the verticaledges ofthe gate This guide' g'.is bolted or otherwise secured to the end wall of chamber c, a sheet ,t'of caoutchouc, or other suitable packing,

being interposed between the' guide plate and the wall of the chamber to produce a 4tight joint. Rising l,from the gate f is a' rod by which to raise and lower it, said' rod passingthrough a.twopart clamp j -provid- .ed witha clamping screw le, by which the rod, and consequently the gate, may be secured' at any, desired elevation.

The'upper section A. of the apparatus is further formed with a cross-partitionedllat eral extension-E, the partitions Z o f which are in line with the partitions d of chambers or compartments b, c. The vertical wall of chamber b separating said chamber from the.lateral .extension E, is. provided with .openings- -fmf for the 'escape of the concentrates from the different compartments of thel chamber or section Each opening m is provided with a gate m., .having a rod o, passing through a clamp p of the same char'- acter as'the clamp j of the tailings gate,and

v lprovided with a like clamping screw.

Upon referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the.- tailings discharge gate f consists of l a strip of sheet metal, with a rectangular openingthrough it of a Size corresponding :v substantially to that of the discharge opening from chamber c. When the gate is at its lowest adjustment, the opening through the plate registers with the discharge open-A ing of chamber or compartment c, but by.

raising thev gate its lower portion is caused to act as adam, or adjustable overflow, de-

termining .the level 4to which the Water andorelshallstand in' chamber c. i

Fig. 4 shows the form of the gates n con trolling the outlets m,through which the concentrates escape. These gates n are similar in form to the gate except that the lower wall or edge of theopening through the plate is formed with a depression q, midway between its edges, so that a small.

quantity of-water, with its contained solid sie ' matters, may flow through the gate below the level of the major-portion of the dam formed-.by the gate, and that inI the event of any considerable or sudden increase in the volume of water, or elevation nf its level,

it will lint-l a free andbroader egress acrossA the whole width of ythe .gate opening. This is found advantageous in practice.

Each compartment of the lateral extension or overow sentan E has an outlet opening through its bottom, preferablytapped to reA .ceivea discharge pipe r, as indicated in Figs.

1 and 3.

The lower member B of the apparatus may conveniently be cast in one piece with suitable lugs or brackets S to rest upon supportiiig sills or timbers, but I, of course, do not `restrict myself to constructing this in one piece, nor to making it of cast metal, though this is preferred. The lower ysection isV of Substantially twice the. width ofthat portion of the upper section- A containing the'chambers or compartments l), c,.the eXtra width projecting from thatjside opposite .the overflow extension E, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2." Cross partitions @registering with the partitions d, sub-divide the lower section B, and a longitudinal partition u, in vertical alinement with the outer wall'of chamber 0, extends from the `upper edge `of section B downward to' approximately one-quarter of ,its depth, as seenin Figs. 2=and 3.

The outer side walls of the lower section B are Apreferably 'vertical fromthe4 upper line downward for some distance, and preferably to a level below the lower edge of the longitudinal partition u, from which level they incline inward toward eachother producing a hopper-shaped bottom; Each hopper bottom is tapped to receive a cock F through which may be drawn offthe watercontained in the chamber, together with any sediment or solid matter that may lodge therein, though, lunder the present construction, these hopper-shaped'chambers may not be called.`

upon to receive or collect mineral matter. The upper face of the lower casting or section B is .recessed to receive adisphragm Gr,

of perforate or foraininous material. In

practice I prefer to use woven wire lscreenmaterial, the sizes of wire and of mesh being variable'within quite wide limits, according `to thedimensions `of the particles to be treated. In lpractice the diaphragm is formed of two sheets of woven wire'screen, the upper one commonlyof No. 12 wire with 4 meshes to the linear inch, and the lower one of No. 24 wire with 20 meshes tothelinear inch, though these figures and proportions may be varied according to the character and condition of the'materials treated, the above being usual or average proportions. The coarse screen is placed above the fine screen for the reason that the pressure of the water vis upward, and the coarse screen'serves as a back ing or support for the fine screen, holding it in horizontal plane and preventing its injury. It also .serves to receive the weight of the mineraliabove at such times as' the machine inay be out .of action, but witha charge of -mineral in its'- compartments.

, The screen sections maybe made separate, each with its own binding or frame, `or one common frame ymay .contain the several section s,as preferred. f'The edges are firmly ,clamped'betweenfthe opposing faces ofthe 'e section or' casting B is provided l'with y providedwith openings o, one opening into' each sectionor compartment formed "bylhe partitions t. Directly above eachlfoithe openings o is `placed a cock or valve. l, each valve in turn communicating .bya'bafanch "or lateral w With a main water supply-trunk l. One `end of this trunk is closed by a suitable cap or head, and-the other end connects With a Water supply pipe J,"Whi'ch brings'water to the trunk I under,

suitable head, lusually thirty feet, though` this is variable at Will. v

rv"The Water supply' pipel J is advisably provided jwithay vgate valvel byfvvhich the tcr"may jbfefentirely cut oil", or its iiow l,ree latedat will, and is further furnished,

be'l'of'balanced type, adapted toopen and cl'os'efcominunication with the trunk I with :trequency'an'd regularity. This valve may be of vthe gtormillustrated in Fig. 1. As theieshown theyalve comprises an outer shell or casing-1L,` provided with bearings for 4shaft'M, one end of which projects beyond' the casing .and is furnished with a l bel't'fvvheel N; `an'annular shell or casing 0 yWithin, the main shell and concentric with the shaft MJ said inner shell having an openinfgatthe mouth of the trunk or pipe I; and an A`open'-ended rotary cylinder Q having a central hub and a radial. web connecting thev hub vand the cylinder, the cylinder being provided with diametrically opposite openings which'successively register with the opening 'in the annular shell vllater entering at both ends of the rotary equally thereiinthe valve will be balanced, t'hcreliejt, incident to registration of one of its J y'citings with the trunk l being oilzset by relierp` .atforfbygits corresponding butv dianietritlly, opposite, opening. By this con- `lon-thel tendency to bind, which would y produced by pressure in one direction cnlyyis reduced to a negligible point, and the. valvevinay be freely rotated at any desiredspeed without the expenditure of 'any large amount ofv'izorce.

.Inyconnnon form of valve capable of operating in this relation may be employed, theQp" ure being so low ina that a halting ,valve` not essential. l

n` the pra ticalopcration of the apparay itis nece v.ary that the valve open and close with Y very considerable frequency, in ordento produce short and sharp pulsations oiishch frequency as demandedby the pa.r'

:The-laterall-andprojecting portion of the p5' rgroof, as shown in Figs. l and 3,

`c1.. M Y i close' to the trunk I withv a valve, which may cylinder, and pressing in all directions ticular class and condition of materials at the time of the treatment. `The inertia of `the wateris such that Withoutl so-me quickly acting'` torce it fcannot be caused to respond `'properly to the rapid opening and'fclosing imity to .the rotary valve an' air chamber P. The air contained 'in this chamber'torms a ,the water column, is compressed by the flow of' water into its lower portion, and as promptly reacts to start the water forward to insure its prompt flow through the valve onits next' opening. This function of the air chamber is something more than a merc cushioning ofthe water column to avoid Water hammering. Without it, it`would be impossible to secure a'proper delivery of water in sutliciently rapid and regular pulsations, to the trunk l, and, consequently, to the chambers of the jig or separator. With it the result is perfectly attained.

In practice it is found that more and more air, carried `in! by the water, collects in" the air chamber and in time the volume becomes undulygreatunless provision beinade to relieve it. Ltherefore, provide the chamber P with a. ven-t cock m, which may be of the jig -it is found that a certain v'olume of air :gives better results than either a vlarger or a smaller volume. If the volume become too. small the machine may be stopped, the water turned off at .the main valve in themain supply pipe, and the vent cock m opened, whereupon air will enter as the water in' vthe receiver falls, the water pipes connecting the main with the separating chambers, and thence over the tailings gate. The apparatus being thus constructed, the mineral substances are delivered into the feed hopper C, mingled witlrwater in proper quantity to cause a free iiow, and the 4mingled water 'and minerals are delivered from said hopper into the chamber c, tlowing into the several compartments or pockets formed therein. ,.sthe partition c does not reach to the perforate or foraminous diaphragm G, the mingled waterand minerals entering the compartments of chamber c will, in greater or less degree, tlow laterally into the corresponding compartments oi' chainber o.

` As the water is prevented bythe tailings discharge gate f from flowing out at a level below its etl'ect-ive edge, it will be Vseen that the water will rise not only in chamber c, but also to a like level in chamber Z), or to such level. lower than the level of the gate f, as may be determined bythe adjustment of the gate a inv each separate compartment or e chamber The waterstanding inthe sectionor chamber forms a'seal the depth ot which, conofthe valve; hencel provide in close proxcushion which, ateach suddenstoppage. of.

opened from time to time. ln the operation` having ample outlet through the branch trollable in each compartment or pocket by yto permit the'concentrates to pass off, but to preclude the quartz from going with thel concentrates 'throughI the outlets m.

Simultaneously with the delivery of the mingled water and minerals through hopper C to chamber or section c, and consequently to chamber b, water is admitted through the i. supply main to the trunk I, and through the openings *v to thechambers beneath the compartments in the chambers or sections b, c, such admission being consequent `upon the action of the rapidly opening and closing valve above described. By reason of the depending wall or partition u the water is caused first to descend, andthen to rise in a substantially vertical column beneathl the chambers or sections I), c, producing a succession of short, sharp upward impulses.

Rising through the foraminous or perforate diaphragm G upon which the body of mingled minerals and Water rests, the water thus forced upward throws up, and keeps in a loose and separated state, the material in the several'y compartments, chambers, 'or sections Z, c, with brief intervals during which' such particles tend to fall back tothe supporting diaphragm or screen. This alternate upward and downward movement of the particles brings about the stratication,

separation, and grading of the particles, which results in the concentrates finally reaching the overflow point, and passing out through the outlets m, while the tailings w'ork along to the tailings discharge, and arev delivered' from the machine.

This apparatus embodies to some extent featuresand vprinciples set forth in an application filed in my name August 2nd, 1905, Serial No. 272,349. `The present apparatus, l'iowever, di'ifersin many respects from that referred to, and is a jig as distinguished from a classifier as those terms are used in the'trade. This distinction consists in the fact, primarily, that a jig is iinal in V'its actlon, whereas-the operation of a classifier is preliminary totreatmentupon concenv trating jigs, tables', or other final washers.

thus rendering difficult the upward iiow of water as well as the downward passage of the fine mineral particles into the lower c01- lecting chamber, essential to the ordinary jig but not to this jig; therefore, the capacity of this jig is very great. Thus, it has been found by actual use, and with only the lupward `flow through the chamber `as here proposed, one pulsator jig suchl as here 'described, having foursieves, or perforate diaphragms', each four inches square makinga total for the foursieves of sixty-four square inches, will handle the same quantity of material as eight Hartz jigs of. two compartments each, or sixteen sieves in all, each sieve having anl area of 19% by 39gL inches. Thus the ratio between sieve or screen areas approximately .as l to 192, each machine handling 100 tons ofmaterial per twentyfour hours.

' While I have shown and described, the

vchambers or compartments b and c as provided with cross partitions, dividing said chambers yinto'a series of pockets or distinct chambers, I do not mean torestrict. myself thereto, but may omit the cross partitions.

Owing to the brief period of time that the mineral particles remain in this jig there is very little attrition of such particles, andv consequently the production of slimes is reduced to a minimum, a result important to be attained because of the diiiiculty of removing the' concentrates from such slimes.

l Having thus described my invention, what l claim. is: j

l. A jig, comprising an upper and a lower section separated by a perforate or foraminous diaphragm, the upper section being provided with a longitudinal upright partition extending nearly, but not quite, tothe perforate or foraminous diaphragm, and thereby dividing said upper section into two parallel chambers a feed lhopper vdelivering into one of said chambers at one end,`said chamber being provided with atailings diS- charge at. the oppositeend and the other of said chambers being provided with an outlet opening in its sidewall; an adjustable overflow gate controlling the tailings discharge; an adjustable overiow gate for the outlet opening of the second'chamber; a water supphragm; a valve controlling said pipe; and

means for opening and closing said valvel with frequency andv regularity, for the pur,-v

lposefof producing a series lof upward pulsa- 1 tions through the diaphragm and in the upthe per chambers, substantially as set forth.

- 'A jig, comprising an upper section pro` vided with two chambersarranged side by side and separated bya wall which extends 'nearly but not quite to the'bottom of said'` chambers, the first chamber'being provided with a feed hopper at one end and with a tailings discharge- 'at the opposite'end, and the outerv wall of the second chamber being provided with an outlet; an overiiow gate controlling said outlet; a lower section having a water chamber extending beneath the chambers of the upper section; a perforate per and lower sections; and means for pro- .duciiig a series ofupward water pulsations through' the perforate or foraminous diaphragm without refiuX.

. A jig, comprising an upper section provided with two main' chambers arranged side by side, and separated by a wall or partition which extends nearly' but not quite to the bottom of said chambers, the first of said chambers being pro-vided with a feed hopper .at one end and with a tailings discharge at the opposite end, and the second chamber being provided with outlets in its outer wall;l transverse partitions dividing said chambersinto smaller chambers or compartments, the partitionsfof the' lirst4 chamber rising to about the level of the delivery end of the hopper; a vertically adjustable overiiow gate for the tailings outlet; overflow gates for the outlets of the outer chamber, one for each compartment; a lower section having alwater chamber extending beneath the'chambers of the upper section-and provided with cross partitions in aliiiement with those of the upper section; a perforate or foraminous diaphragm4 separating the chambers of the upper from those of the lower section; and means for producing a series of' upward impulses of water through for'aminous -or perforatey diaphragm without reflux. i L

ll. vThe herein described jig comprising an upper 4section provided with av longitudinal partition dividing itinto two chambers and with transverse partitions dividing said chambers into compartments, the longitudinal .partition extending nearly but not `quite to the bottom of the section,'the first chainber' being provided with a feed hopper at oppoite end; a lateral extension at the outer side ofthe second chamber, the 'wall separating'the second chamber and saidextension being provided -with outlet openings;v an adjustable overflow gate guarding the tailings discharge; 'vertically adjustable overflow .gates-guarding the outlet openings between the second. lchamber and the lateral extension; a lower section provided with a longi- 'ltudinal partition and with transverse partivone end and with a tailings discharge at the.

tions registering :"with the partitions of the upper section; a perforate or foraminoiis diaphragm separating the Aupper and lower sections; a trunk or pipe havingbranches communicating' with the spaces beneath the cross partitions of the lower sections, one with each; a -valve controlling the supply of lwater to said trunk and adapted to be opened 'and closed with frequency; andan airl chamber communicating. with the supply pipe on the inlet or receiving side of the valve'.

5.*In a jig, a walled chamber having a feed hopper at one end and 'a tailings discharge at the opposite end; a second walled chamber at the. side ofvtlie'first, communicating therewith at the bottom, and having outlet openings formed in its outer wall; azperforate or foraminous bottom for said chamnotch' and any sudden increase may occur` over the full Width of the opening without materially raising the outflow level. In testimony whereof I4 have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

i ROBERT HALLOWELL RICHARDS. AWitnesses CHARLES H. Ranura, VILLIAM DODGE. 

